VOTE: Yankees Report Card

Injuries removed several key pieces for extended stretches of the first half and Alex Rodriguez played three weeks with a torn meniscus in the right knee that required surgery yesterday and will shelve him for four to six weeks.

Yet CC Sabathia, Curtis Granderson and David Robertson were sensational and the Yankees got more out of Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon than anybody could have imagined in March.

So the Yankees went into the All-Star break with a 53-35 record and one game behind the Red Sox in the AL East.

CC Sabathia, SP; Grade: A: He’s paid like an ace and was the best pitcher in the AL.

Curtis Granderson, CF; Grade: A: Figured to be better than a year ago. Instead, he is the Yankees’ MVP.

David Robertson, RP; Grade: A: First-time All-Star has been bullpen savior.

Robinson Cano, 2B; Grade: A: At times he hasn’t resembled the player of last year. But he is near .300 and is a run producer.

Mark Teixeira, 1B; Grade: B: A .244 batting average should be higher, but like Cano he is producing runs and provides Gold Glove defense.

Luis Ayala, RP; Grade: B: Didn’t have a chance to make the team in spring training and has pitched very well.

Bartolo Colon, SP; Grade: B: Opened the season in the bullpen and developed into arguably the Yankees’ best starter before hamstring injury landed him on DL.

Freddy Garcia, SP; Grade: B: It’s a push between him and Colon as to who is the most pleasant surprise.

Mariano Rivera, RP; Grade: B: Four blown saves in 36 appearances is high for the closer who flushed five all of last season. Still, he has 22 saves and a 1.85 ERA.

Eduardo Nunez, INF; Grade: B: Batted .339 in 17 games filling in for Derek Jeter at short. Leads team with 10 errors.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B; Grade: B: Suffered knee injury June 19 and it robbed him of power. Hasn’t homered in a career-high 85 at-bats, but is hitting .295 with 13 homers and 52 RBIs.

Nick Swisher, RF; Grade: B: Was hitting .228 on June 18 with 29 RBIs and a .170 (9-for-53) average with runners in scoring position. Finished at .249 with 10 homers, 49 RBIs and is batting .247 (18-for-73) in the clutch.

Ivan Nova, SP; Grade: B: Should not have been sent to SWB to make room for Phil Hughes. The rookie went 4-1 in his last six starts and has eight wins.

Brett Gardner, LF: Grade: C: Has been up and down throughout the first half when he has hit first and ninth.

Derek Jeter, SS; Grade: C: Take away Saturday’s dream day in which he reached 3,000 hits with a homer and went 5-for-5, the Captain’s season has been average. Missed three weeks with a calf injury.